Ancient Mind. The lich has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Fear Aura. Each creature that starts its turn within 60 feet of the lich, must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is frightened for 1 minute. While frightened this way, a creature must take the dash action and move away from the lich by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move, in which case it needn’t take the dash action. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the lich’s Fear Aura for the next 24 hours.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Necromantic Mastery. When the lich deals damage with a spell, it can change the spell's damage type to necrotic. In addition, when the lich deals necrotic damage, it ignores resistance and immunity to such damage.
Negative Energy Absorption. Whenever the lich is subjected to necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.
Turn Immunity. The lich is immune against any effect that turns undead.
Whisperer of the Dead. The lich has advantage on Charisma and Wisdom (Insight) checks towards undead creatures. In addition, the lich can also cast speak with dead at will, except the spirit is magically compelled to tell truthful answers. Undead of CR 12 or lower are unwilling to attack the lich and obey its orders unquestionably unless they are influenced by magic.
Multiattack. The lich makes three Decaying Ray or Paralyzing Touch attacks. It can replace an attack with a use of Spellcasting.
Decaying Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, range 120 ft., one creature. Hit 25 (4d8 + 7) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it is unable to regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 28 (6d6 + 7) cold or necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Breath of Death (Recharge 5-6). The lich unleashes immense unholy magic in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in the cone must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 63 (18d6) necrotic damage and its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. A creature slain by this damage has its soul extinguished, whereupon nothing short of divine intervention can restore it to life. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and its hit point maximum isn't reduced.
Soul Imprisonment (1/Day). The lich targets a creature with a soul that is within 60 feet of it, the creature must succeed on a DC 22 Charisma saving throw against this magic, or be under the effect of a imprisonment spell. Instead of choosing one of the normal options of the spell, the lich uses the spell to magically trap the target's body and soul inside its phylactery. The phylactery must be on the same plane as the lich for the spell to work. A lich's phylactery can hold only one creature at a time, and a dispel magic cast as a 9th-level spell upon the phylactery releases any creature imprisoned within it. A creature imprisoned in the phylactery for 24 hours is consumed and destroyed utterly, whereupon nothing short of divine intervention can restore it to life.
Spellcasting. The lich casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit with spell attacks):
At will: blight, detect magic, detect thoughts, dispel magic, fireball, invisibility, mage hand, magic missile (cast at 6th level), major image, mirror image, nondetection, prestidigitation, suggestion, thunderwave (cast at 5th level)
2/day each: cloudkill, disintegrate, dominate monster, fire shield, polymorph, scrying (as an action), slow, telekinesis, wall of ice
1/day each: forcecage, illusory dragon, plane shift, power word kill
Unholy Teleport. The lich magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Each creature within 10 feet of the lich before it teleports takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.
Negate Spell (Recharge 5-6). The lich tries to interrupt a spell it sees a creature casting within 60 feet of it. If the spell is 3rd level or lower, the spell fails and has no effect. If the spell is 4th level or higher, the lich makes a Intelligence check against a DC of 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the spell fails and has no effect.
The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The lich makes a Decaying Ray or Paralyzing Touch attack.
Dark Magic. The lich uses Spellcasting or Unholy Teleport.
Reap Life. The lich targets a creature it can see within 60 feet of it and siphons its life energies. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 27 (5d10) necrotic damage and gains 1 level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn't gain 1 level of exhaustion.
Disrupt Life (Costs 2 Actions). Each non-undead creature within 30 feet of the lich must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage dies. Any humanoid corpse within 30 feet of the lich instantly rises as a zombie under the lich’s control. If the humanoid possessed spellcasting abilities in life, then it rises as a flameskull instead. The undead takes its turn immediately after the lich. It lasts until it is destroyed.
Description
Physical Description.
"A cool breeze blows in from ahead, bringing with it the stench of decomposing flesh. As a gaunt skeletal humanoid stands before you, with withered skin stretched tight across its bones. Its eyes succumbed to decay long ago, but hateful points of light burn in its empty sockets. It wears ancient moldy robes and jewelry that reek of countless years of decay. It wields an ancient staff adorned with bones and holds a tome which’s hide is made from rotten humanoid skin. Tortured spirits swirl around the skeletal creature, which emanates an overwhelming aura of death and countless years of hatred, yet great malicious cunning and intellect that seems to stare through your very souls."
Archlich.
An archlich is an undisputed master of undeath and the arcane arts, only the greatest and most ancient of liches can attain the power and title of archlich. Archliches are incredibly powerful, intelligent, charismatic, knowledgeable and hoarding wealth few can match. Luckily for the world, the task of becoming an archlich is a nigh impossible feat, and as such there are only a few archliches that exist throughout the multiverse. Though an archlich wields power similar to demigods and the mighty demon lords of the abyss, and often hold entire realms under their command. The few remaining archliches act often as grand tyrants of the undead, lore keepers and traders of ancient and powerful secrets, grand masters of the arcane arts, explorers of the planes or emissaries of evil gods or otherworldly entities.
Lich.
Liches are the remains of great wizards who embrace undeath as a means of preserving themselves. They further their own power at any cost, having no interest in the affairs of the living except where those affairs interfere with their own. Scheming and insane, they hunger for long-forgotten knowledge and the most terrible secrets. Because the shadow of death doesn't hang over them, they can conceive plans that take years, decades, or centuries to come to fruition.
A lich is a gaunt and skeletal humanoid with withered flesh stretched tight across its bones. Its eyes succumbed to decay long ago, but points of light burn in its empty sockets. It is often garbed in the moldering remains of fine clothing and jewelry worn and dulled by the passage of time.
Secrets of Undeath.
No wizard takes up the path to lichdom on a whim, and the process of becoming a lich is a well-guarded secret. Wizards that seek lichdom must make bargains with fiends, evil gods, or other foul entities. Many turn to Orcus, Demon Prince of Undeath, whose power has created countless liches. However, those that control the power of lichdom always demand fealty and service for their knowledge.
A lich is created by an arcane ritual that traps the wizard's soul within a phylactery. Doing so binds the soul to the mortal world, preventing it from traveling to the Outer Planes after death. A phylactery is traditionally an amulet in the shape of a small box, but it can take the form of any item possessing an interior space into which arcane sigils of naming, binding, immortality, and dark magic are scribed in silver.
With its phylactery prepared, the future lich drinks a potion of transformation-a vile concoction of poison mixed with the blood of a sentient creature whose soul is sacrificed to the phylactery. The wizard falls dead, then rises as a lich as its soul is drawn into the phylactery, where it forever remains.
Soul Sacrifices.
A lich must periodically feed souls to its phylactery to sustain the magic preserving its body and consciousness. It does this using the imprisonment spell. Instead of choosing one of the normal options of the spell, the lich uses the spell to magically trap the target's body and soul inside its phylactery. The phylactery must be on the same plane as the lich for the spell to work. A lich's phylactery can hold only one creature at a time, and a dispel magic cast as a 9th-level spell upon the phylactery releases any creature imprisoned within it. A creature imprisoned in the phylactery for 24 hours is consumed and destroyed utterly, whereupon nothing short of divine intervention can restore it to life.
A lich that fails or forgets to maintain its body with sacrificed souls begins to physically fall apart, and might eventually become a demilich.
Death and Restoration.
When a lich's body is broken by accident or assault, the will and mind of the lich drains from it, leaving only a lifeless corpse behind. Within days, a new body reforms next to the lich's phylactery, coalescing out of glowing smoke that issues from the device. Because the destruction of its phylactery means the possibility of eternal death, a lich usually keeps its phylactery in a hidden, well-guarded location.
Destroying a lich's phylactery is no easy task and often requires a special ritual, item, or weapon. Every phylactery is unique, and discovering the key to its destruction can be a quest in and of itself.
Lonely Existence.
From time to time, a lich might be stirred from its single-minded pursuit of power to take an interest in the world around it, most often when some great event reminds it of the life it once led. It otherwise lives in isolation, engaging only with those creatures whose service helps secure its lair.
Few liches call themselves by their former names, instead adopting monikers such as the Black Hand or the Forgotten King.
Magic Collectors.
Liches collect spells and magic items. In addition to its spell repertoire, a lich has ready access to potions, scrolls, libraries of spellbooks, one or more wands, and perhaps a staff or two. It has no qualms about putting these treasures to use whenever its lair comes under attack.
Undead Nature.
A lich doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
The Few Remaining.
The few remaining archliches are different and complex in nature, being thousands of years old, here is one example of an archlich:
Bethar Dafon the Fallen Emperor. Bethar Dafon the great archlich, emperor of the plane of Necrogor, a plane of undeath, misery and ruin. He is known by many titles he has earned throughout his countless years of existence. Forgotten one, the fallen emperor, and lord of the wretched are examples of titles that belong the infamous archlich. Bethar Dafon was once a kind and just king of a forgotten civilization, he was a human with unequaled magical abilities that allowed him to rule a grand kingdom of magic and mages. As the years went on however, time began to take it’s toll on Bethar. Memories began to wane as his body grew feeble, his servants began to question his rule, as distant powers began to rise up against him. As his kingdom, his realm, began to fall apart before him. Dark whispers promising great power, immortality and vengeance upon those who wronged him called to Bethar as his throne room was being besieged. In return, Bethar had to commit an act so vile and blasphemous that the gods would take notice. In a moment of weakness, Bethar accepted the offer out of desperation. It is still unclear what this blasphemous act was, but it ended up destroying his realm and taking the lives of everyone in it. Many speculate that this was the gods directly smiting the cursed king, or that the act itself shattered the world. As the forgotten realm and civilization laid in nothing but ruins and ruble, Bethar rised once more, as a lich. Over countless years Bethar began to transform the world into one of his own making, raising grand legions of undead, raiding and destroying everything in his path, gaining more and more power as his sanity began to wane and the gods retreated from the doomed reality that Bethar had caused. The plane Necrogor, realm of undeath, lair of the grand archlich Bethar Dafon, was made. Now the deranged tyrant plans and schemes endlessly in a shallow, lifeless world of his own making, planning his next step towards another mad malicious goal.
Allies. Bethar Dafon is the ruler of a plane of undeath, and as such rules over the countless undead and otherworldly creatures he has risen and summoned. He almost always is accompanied by at least two death knight consorts or two lich apprentices. Though he likes to have more thralls accompany him when he is outside of his main lair.
Greusadryl, Maw of Death. Bethar’s closest companion and ally is an Ancient Black Dracolich named Greusadryl. When she was but an egg her vile parents where slain by a silver dragon, when the dragon found the egg of Greusadryl it couldn’t bring itself to destroy it. So instead Greusadryl was raised by that heroic silver dragon. Because of her upbringing, Greusadryl was unlike most of her kin, she was interested in humanoids and the world now known as Necrogor. She was friendly, kind hearted and a calm soul that wanted to protect and guide mortal kind into a better future. She learnt the ability to change her shape into that of a beast or humanoid, being able to blend in with humanoid races. She became known as a guardian monster, a draconic protector. Eventually a young and kind hearted Bethar came to Greusadryl for aid against a great threat. Greusadryl choose to aid the mortal king, as they went on adventures together. Over time they began to fall in love, as their bond grew strong through countless struggles. Eventually, she became queen of the realm now known as Necrogor, standing by her husbands side. As Bethar grew old and weak, Greusadryl was forced to take control of the realm. She saw Bethar begin to fall to darkness and tried to help him, but to no avail. She tried to help the people as best the could, but more and more threats grew in power. As war started to tear through the land she had protected for many years, she tried every peaceful option, yet nothing helped. Greusadryl began to lose more and more of her sanity along with her kind heart as she tried time and time again to do what was best for the people, yet still they stood against her. Vengeance and hatred began to take hold of her as she grew cold and distant. It ended with Greusadryl battling enemies as Bethar’s kingdom was being besieged, she was eventually slain in that battle. After Bethar rised from the rubles of his kingdom and became a lich, he returned his beloved Greusadryl back to unlife as a dracolich. At first she was horrified by all the death and tragedy, but over time hatred and vanity began to take hold of her soul, she began to enjoy her new existence by Bethar’s side as she was slowly corrupted into a sadistic selfish monster that cares for very little than Bethar and herself.
Statistic Changes. Greusadryl has the statistics of an ancient black dragon with the dracolich template. In addition, she has the following changes:
- Her alignment is Chaotic Evil.
- Change Shape. Greusadryl can use a bonus action to magically polymorph into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than her own, or back into her true form. She reverts to her true form if she dies. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the Greusadryl's choice). In a new form, Greusadryl retains her alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Her statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form.
- Spellcasting. Greusadryl casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks):
- At will: animate dead (as an action, can raise up to six undead, and the undead are permanently under Greusadryl’s control), detect magic, create or destroy water, ray of enfeeblement
- 3/day each: create undead (as an action, and the undead are permanently under Greusadryl’s control), hold monster, insect plague
- 1/day each: finger of death, power word pain, teleport
- Quick Caster. During a multiattack, Greusadryl can replace her bite attack with a use of Spellcasting.
Personality Traits. Greusadryl has the following personality trait, ideal, bond and flaw:
Personality Trait. "Go on mortal, tell me your philosophy and why you stand against me. I have heard it countless times before."
Ideal. "Me and Bethar are beyond life, we are above any lowly mortal!"
Bond. "My beloved Bethar is all i have left, he is the only reason for my existence."
Flaw. "Any who dare to slight my beloved must suffer a slow and painful death!"
Statistic Changes. Bethar Dafon has similar statistics as a Archlich with the following changes:
- His alingment is Neutral Evil.
- He replaces the following spells from his Spellcasting action: plane shift is replaced with teleport and power word kill is replaced with wish.
- He wears a black Robe of the Archmagi, setting his spell DC to 24 and granting him a +16 to spell attacks, this does not change his AC. He also wears a Amulet of the Planes, a Talisman of Ultimate Evil and weilds the Staff of the Forgotten Tyrant. A artifact item that grants Bethar unrivaled power over the undead and mastery over negative energy. It is the tool that allows him to control the very plane of Necrogor itself. He also always has at least a few scrolls and other consumable magic items with him at all times. His favored picks are scrolls of Gate, Meteor Swarm, Time Stop and Wish.
- As an action, Bethar can summon Greusadryl, she has the statistics of an ancient black dragon with the dracolich template and additional features. Look at Greusadryl, Maw of Death above for more information.
Roleplaying Bathar Dafon. Bethar's intellect and charisma is only matched by his deranged nature and vanity. He is an utterly corrupt soul that has lost his heart to darkness long ago, yet he still thinks he is a righteous force of good. Seeing the world as chaotic and in disarray, and that only he can bring about peace and tranquility to the multiverse by turning everything into an undead wasteland.
Personality Trait. "I am everlasting, unrelenting, i am the inevitable destruction and raiser of all things."
Ideal. "This world is so corrupt and chaotic, endlessly in a never ending cycle, i shall break that cycle."
Bond. "Necrogor is my home, and all that resides there are mine."
Flaw. "My power and intellect knows no equal."
Lair and Lair Actions
An Archlich’s Lair
A lich often haunts the abode it favored in life, such as a lonely tower, a haunted ruin, or an academy of black magic. Alternatively, some liches construct secret tombs filled with powerful guardians and traps.
Everything about a lich’s lair reflects its keen mind and wicked cunning, including the magic and mundane traps that secure it. Undead, constructs, and bound demons lurk in shadowy recesses, emerging to destroy those who dare to disturb the lich’s work.
An archlich encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 24 (41,000 XP).
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the lich can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; the lich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
Negaive Energy Cord. The lich targets one creature it can see within 120 feet of it. A crackling cord of negative energy tethers the lich to the target. Whenever the lich takes damage, the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the lich takes half the damage (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage. This tether lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round or until the lich or the target is no longer in the lich’s lair.
Supreme Magical Rejuvenation. The lich rolls two separate d8’s and regains a use of a spell of that level or lower for each die. If it has no spent uses of spells of that level or lower, nothing happens.
Vengeance of the Fallen. The lich calls forth the spirits of creatures that died in its lair. These apparitions materialize and attack one creature that the lich can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The apparitions then disappear.
Regional Effects
The region containing the lich's lair is warped by its magic, creating one or more of the following effects:
Eyes of the Dead. The lich can see through the eyes of any undead within 6 miles of the lair at will (No action required).
Malicious Spirits. Apparitions of creatures that have died while within 6 miles of the lair, floats endlessly within 6 miles of the lair, these spirits are controlled by the lich, though they often obey a certian command or intent instead of being directly controlled. The apparitions will often attempt to lead people to their deaths via trickery or other means. The appartitions can speak and understand any language the lich knows. The lich can decide at any time to take direct control of one or more apparitions at a time and can both see, hear, and speak through them. An apparition can't be harmed, nor can it be dispelled, but it s suppressed within an antimagic field.
Rising Dead. Any humanoid that dies while within 6 miles of the lair rises up after 1 minute as a zombie under the lich's control. If the humaniod possessed spellcasting abilities in life, it rises as a flameskull instead.
If the lich dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
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